TinkerMill Shop: Rapid Prototyping

A group of techniques, including 3D printers and laser cutters, used to quickly fabricate a scale model of a physical part or assembly using CAD – CAM (Computer Aided Design – Computer Aided Manufacture) data.

Notable Equipment

3D Printers:
  • FDM printers
  • Resin 3D printers
  • Big-60 3D printer (2ft x 1.8ft x 1.5ft)
 
Laser Cutters:
  • 80 watt Rabbit Laser with a 1200 x 900 mm (47.2 x 35.4 inches) working area
  • Rotory engraver
  • Gloforge laser
 
Vinyl Cutter
Vacuformer (vacuum forming)

Tyler Dow

I joined TinkerMill in 2014 and the first thing I saw was Clint, a member of TinkerMill, lighting off 5 pounds of thermite in the middle of winter. Ever since that, I started hanging around TinkerMill and tinkering with random things. I eventually started volunteering by fixing 3D printers, and teaching classes. I found I enjoy teaching and helping other people learn and make cool things.

Contact Info: tyler.dow@tinkermill.org, call/text at 303-520-2369, and active on Slack for members! 

 

Lee Thornhill

Contact info: lee.thornhill@tinkermill.org and active on Slack for members!

No certification is required to use our glowforge laser cutter and FMD printers if you have prior experience. Classes are available for optional training.

A training class is required before accessing laser cutter, vinyl cutter, resin SLA printers, and vacuformer. Can each be done separately, in any order.

  • Laser Cutter Cert: This class will teach you operations and safety of our large 80-watt laser. Completion of this class grants members independent access. These classes are available regularly on our calendar.
  • Resin 3D Printer Certification: This class is an introduction to SLA resin printing using TinkerMill’s Elegoo printers and will teach you operations and safety. Completion of this class grants members independent access. 
  • Big-60 3D Printer: Training is required, contact Shop Captain Tyler Dow. (roughly functioning/under development)
  • Vinyl Cutter Certification: Training is required, contact Chad Marks (on Slack for members or chad.marks@tinkermill.org)
  • Vacuformer Certification: Training is required, contact Erik Akia (on Slack for members or erik.akia@tinkermill.org)
 
Anyone, members and non-members, can attend classes. 
Only members can use certifiable machines independently after certification.
 
Laser cutter: Minimum age 12 with guardian supervision, 16+ with guardian in the building.
3D FDM printers: Any age with guardian supervision, 16+ with guardian in the building
Resin 3D printers: 16+ with guardian supervision
Vacuum former: No minor use, 18+ only
 

In addition to being a member, there is additional cost to use shop space. Shop use fees for time and consumables are used to maintain each of the shops.

Laser Cutter – $10/hr

ABS Filament – $0.10/gram

Resin – $90/liter

Pay Shop Fees

We encourage you to practice these skills independently to learn skill. Contact shop captain for more opportunities. 

Intro to 3D Printing: Learn basics to our Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D printers. Introduction to FlashForge 3D Printers and Simplify 3D software. Practice setup of the printer which includes changing filament, preheating, and finally starting a print. After that we will explore basic equipment maintenance that you may need to do before starting a print.Learning how to 3D print objects is surprisingly easy and empowering. You can 3D print replacement parts, design your own toys or tools, or use it for art. You can even 3D print flyable rockets!

Slack Channels (member’s only) – #rapid-prototyping #laser_cutter #resin-3d-printing

Non-members can use our FDM 3D printers and small laser cutters, everything else is member use only. 

Not required but recommended particularly for the 80-watt laser which members can reserve up to 4/hrs a day. 

If you don’t see a class you would like to take (or at a time you can’t make) free to email Shop Captain, tyler.dow@tinkermill.org, to let him know you’re interested!